What Type of Garage Door is Right for You?

Some of the elegant Custom Design Garage Doors made by Gryphon of Australia

When deciding what sort of garage door to have installed at your home, there are many things to consider. Do you need a remote control door? What’s your price range? How big does it need to be?

To help you decide, take a look at this list of some of the more popular options available:

Roller Doors

Roller doors are generally made of individual steel or aluminium slats that roll up and down, coiling around a barrel just inside the top of the garage. These types of doors are economical both on price and space, and so are a great budget and compact option. These doors don’t swing out, and can be operated either manually or automatically by remote control, and it’s also possible to have them insulated.

Sectional Doors

Sectional doors for garages are very secure and popular – Photo Courtesy: Gryphon

Sectional doors are among the most popular garage doors available, as they are some of the most secure and convenient. They are composed of several panels that run along tracks, vertically and horizontally, retracting up and along the length of the ceiling. It’s very easy to fit sectional doors with a remote control, and they don’t swing out when opening or closing, making them a very convenient and compact option. It’s also possible to get insulated sectional garage doors.

Canopy Up and Over

The Canopy door operates in vertical tracks on the side frame, normally cable/spring operated. When fully open a third of the door’s height protrudes which forms a canopy. Photo Courtesy: garagedoors-sw.com

Canopy garage doors are one of the cheaper and easier options to install; They work by swinging open and up, the top half of the door retracting into the garage ceiling and the bottom half extending out of the garage, creating a canopy. Generally they open manually, although it is possible to have a remote control fitted, albeit at a relatively high price. You should only have this type of door if you don’t have a very wide vehicle: Due to their operating mechanism, they can’t be any bigger than 8 feet wide, otherwise the door will be too heavy to be supported.

Retractable Up and Over

Photo Courtesy: SUREFRAME of UK

Retractable garage doors are quite similar to canopy ones, although they operate on side-mounted lifting arms rather than cables, meaning they can take a lot more weight and so can support doors wider than 8 feet. It’s also very easy to fit this type of garage door with a remote control for added ease of use.

Side-Hinged

Above: Side Hinged Garage Doors – Too simple? Small garage? Well, these are the most famous hinged garage doors (and garage) in the world. Behind these garage doors in Palo Alto, California, was born one of the biggest companies in the world called HP (Hewlett Packard)!! – Photo Courtesy: Bill Slawski

Side-hinged garage doors are one of the earliest designs, featuring very basic double doors that swing outwards on hinges. This original type of door is coming back into fashion and becoming more popular now, as it offers a stylish touch to any home. They are great if you use your garage for storage of other items, such as bicycles or lawnmowers; however, you do need a lot of space due to the doors swinging wide.

OH WAIT! We now know that Batman parks his famous Batmobile behind a Roller Shutter garage door!!! Photo (taken in Gotham City??) by Paul Joseph

There are many types of garage door available, each of which suits various needs. If you only have a small vehicle or have limited room for your garage, you may wish to consider a roller door or a sectional door, as they require the least space. For convenience, any door which can have a remote control fitted is a good choice, although security and insulation are other important things to consider.

Alfred Scott is the writer of this article. He works for Gryphon Garage Doors. They have some of the most hi-tech and sophisticated mechanism at their disposal. If you want an automatic garage door opener installed at your house, then they are the people you can contact.

Thanks for your evaluable information. This post would be the real guide for those who a looking to buy a suitable garage door. You can compare the features, advantages and working life of different doors through this post, and can make your decision based on that. For a door of your choice, you can go to Hormann.